#DS7Unbalanced #InoCent #SMCouple #DaggerSeries

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: TIE

TIARA'S POV

I don't know where they are planning to take me. I didn't have the chance to ask. Not when I was so busy replaying in my head everything that happened, and all the things that I found out. To say that they were shocking was an understatement.

The car was shrouded in silence until a voice broke the stillness. Muntik pa akong mapatalon sa kinauupuan ko dahil boses babae ang nagsalita samantalang si Jace at Damian lang naman ang kasama ko.

Nang tumingin ako sa nakabukas na ngayong bintana ni Jace ay napakunot ang noo ko nang makita ko na nasa drive thru kami.

"Welcome to Burger King. What can I get you for today?"

"One plant-based whopper with large fries and large coke. Plus one roast coffee," Jace said to the crew.

"Get a burger, Jace. Puro ka kape. Kapag hindi mo itinigil iyan baka ikaw na ang magpakape sa susunod." Naiiling na nilingon ako ni Damian habang si Jace ay naringgan ko na umorder ns rin ng sarili niyang burger. "What do you want to eat, Tiara? You can order anything. Para kasing hindi ako matutunawan kanina sa event." He gave me an easy smile. "You don't have to order the same thing as ours. I promised Savannah that I'm going to lay off the meat burgers since I keep eating them when I'm stressed, which is a lot. She can't say no to the plant-based one." He tipped his chin towards the driver's side. "And Jace is just copying me because he's lazy."

In a different scenario, I would have found our situation amusing. I'm in a drive thru with the son of the president, and he's buying a plant-based burger. But here we are in real life, where he's not the only child of the president right here in this car.

I can feel my insides clenching at the thought, which made me shake my head in answer to Damian's question. "I don't think I can eat."

He stared at me for a moment, and he sighed after awhile before turning to Jace. "Get her some nuggets and water."

Bumuka ang bibig ko para tumanggi pero nang bumaling sa akin si Damian ay itinikom ko na lang ang mga iyon. There's a firmness in his gaze that tells me that he's not going to allow me to say no.

"I'm sorry, but I made a promise to Domino. He said I need to feed you, or he's going to tell Sav that I'm having an affair." Kaagad niyang dinugtungan ang sinabi niya nang makita niya ang reaksyon na bumalatay sa mukha ko. "With Jace." He let out a breath, and he scratched his head with a sheepish smile on his face. "Probably not a good time to joke about something like that, huh?"

I shrugged, and he responded with an apologetic smile. Umandar na ang sasakyan at sa kasunod na window ng drive thru ay nakuha na namin kaagad ang mga pagkain. Despite the situation, I couldn't help but feel amazed. Sa pagkakatanda ko kasi ay parang ito ang unang beses na nakadaan ako sa ganitong klase ng lugar.

"Emeric is a foodie."

I looked up at Damian, and I saw that he was watching me. Inilabas niya ang mga pagkain at itinabi niya sa akin ang box ng nuggets at tubig. Kinuha niya rin ang kaniya at pagkatapos ay ibinigay niya ang paperbag na may laman pa kay Jace na walang imik na kinuha iyon.

Nagpatuloy ang lalaki sa pagsasalita. "Hindi nakakakain iyon ng walang kasama. He hates eating with his parents. He said it puts him off. Kaya laging ako ang iniistorbo niya para samahan siya." Binuksan niya ang lalagyan ng burger niya at kumagat siya ng malaki ro'n. "You know, eating has a complex relationship with physiological, psychological, and social factors? A positive atmosphere helps make it an enjoyable experience. That's why it's important that we associate food with good things."

He reached for the box of nuggets on my side, and he opened it. He nudges it so that it's closer to me. "Our circumstances might not be the best, but can you look at having two brothers as a good thing? We can celebrate over fast food tapos inggitin natin si Emeric kasi favorite no'n ang Burger King."

I bit the inside of my cheek, emotions welling up inside me again. I reached for a nugget, and I nibbled on it. Seeming satisfied, he turned his attention back to his own food.

I was in my third nugget when I decided that I wouldn't be able to get answers to any of the questions that've been circling my mind since Damian's revelation if I didn't start asking him anything. Lalong hindi mababawasan ang padagdag nang padagdag na mga katanungan sa utak ko kung wala akong gagawin.

"How did he find out?"

Knowing exactly what I meant, he took a sip of his soda. "He was in high school then. At that time, I'd already known him for years. He was just a kid to me back then. I was surrounded by rich, spoiled kids, and meeting someone who wasn't one was a welcome change. But I have my own life, and I was focused on making my own name and proving myself to my father, and I didn't really think much of how Emeric started becoming distant to me." He pops a fry inside his mouth before continuing. "Turns out he found out one time that my parents went to their house to have dinner. Dad was talking to his mom, and he overheard. He was trying to blackmail Marcella so that she would put pressure on Harrison regarding some investment."

"How did... the affair happen?"

"We don't really know much about that. It's not like we can ask. We don't need to know the specifics anyway. The bottom line is that he had affairs." Nilagyan niya ng fries ang lalagyan ko ng nuggets. "According to Harrison and Marcella, she got pregnant right after they got married, and that she had a complicated childbirth since she gave birth before her due date. "

Namilog ang mga mata ko. "She and your father..." I'm pretty sure that Thomas Salazar was married to Damian's mother long before that. "I shouldn't be surprised, but wow."

"You know what came next after that." He shook his head. Even though he'd known about it, it looks like he's still in disbelief of what his father—of what our father has done. "Aakalain mo na madadala na siya sa una pero..." he trailed off. He didn't need to continue his sentence. I understand him perfectly.

"Have you known about me for long?"

Natigilan siya. For a moment, I saw uncertainty cross his eyes, but he quickly buried it. "I only confirmed about the possibility of you being my sister recently, but my suspicion that he's hiding another child started right after what happened to you in Moscow."

His words took a moment to sink in. But there was no mistake in what he's trying to imply. It wasn't easy to grasp. The thought was too cruel to accept; it's almost inconceivable that someone who has known me as a child, someone who is my own flesh and blood, could do such a thing. That he would put me in that kind of danger.

"He was the one behind the incident in Moscow," I whispered.

"I wasn't sure at first. I didn't know that you existed. That there's someone else other than Emeric. I have access to his office, and I've been listening to his conversations. Emeric and I were trying to look for something else, but after Moscow, dad started to act weird. That place has been mentioned a couple of times. Noong una ay hindi pa kami gaanong nagpopokus doon. Emeric and I were trying to find proof of something else." Sumandal siya at tumingala siya sa kisame. Exhaustion, for once, is now evident on his face. "The Dawsons have been investigating a case of human trafficking since what happened to Coal's wife and daughter. The ones that are in custody are just small players in the game. Behind it are far bigger people, and Emeric and I believe that our fathers are involved with it."

Suddenly, I find it hard to breathe. Not only was I abandoned by my supposed father, not only that who I thought was my father was just pretending all along, now I'm finding out that my real father was responsible for such crimes?

"When my father—our..." Napahilot sa sentido si Damian. "How about we just call them president and senator? This is giving me a headache." When I nodded, he gave me a grateful smile. "When the president started talking to the senator about a favor he wanted the senator to do, that's when Moscow became clear to us."

"He tried to kill me."

Umiling siya. "He was trying to take you, but I don't think he was planning to kill you. The plane was a stupid miscommunication that resulted in the crash. Ganoon din ng tangka kang dakipin sa ballet studio noong mga panahon na hindi ka pa hawak ng Dagger."

"And what about what happened recently? Lucienne got shot because of me. They rained bullets on a room full of children."

"That's the confusing part because there weren't any instructions from the president. He and the senator were already set on the plan that the senator would pretend to be your father. The drive-by doesn't make sense."

I found myself grappling with the enormity of the situation. It's so hard to wrap myself around everything. Pakiramdam ko ay gusto akong lunurin ng mga bagay na nalalaman ko. Every time I try to resurface to breathe some air, it's like someone comes crashing on me again to force me to go under.

"I thought it was Marcella," I said quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"I want to get answers. I want it to happen soon. Ayoko na ng may masaktan pa dahil sa akin. I talked to Thorn. I tried to convince him that I wanted to go with my father. If I'm with Domino, nothing will happen. Nothing bad... but nothing good as well. Dahil hanggang nasa poder ako ng mga Dawson ay walang makakalapit sa akin. Whoever was doing this wouldn't be able to make his move. This nightmare wouldn't end."

"But he said no."

Tumango ako. "So I forced his hand by doing what I wanted without their approval. I went with who I thought was my father." My face softened at the same time that my heart warmed. "I should have known that they wouldn't let me go just like that."

"The music box," may ngiti sa mga labi na sabi niya.

Gulat na napatingin ako sa kaniya. "How did you know about that—" Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "The missing audio bug."

He grinned. "Emeric put one in his parents bedroom."

When the music box was sent to Radley's residence, I found a necklace inside it. A necklace that wasn't mine. It wasn't hard to understand what it could have meant. Lalo na at galing iyon sa Dagger. And that's when I found the audio bugs inside the locket, and even without instructions, their purpose is obvious.

"I was only at Radley's because I wanted the perpetrator to come to me. When Dagger sent the bugs, it opened to me the possibility that someone in that house could be a suspect. I thought it was Marcella. She easily accepted me when most women in her shoes wouldn't have. The way she's being overly nice to me is making me increasingly suspicious as well." I smiled bitterly. It turns out that wasn't the case. "Now I know that she's just like that because she knows that her husband wasn't really the one who had an unfair. That I wasn't her husband's love child."

Damian just watched me, and I felt grateful that he's not trying to rush me to accept everything in an instant. Maybe it's because they know how hard it is to be in this situation. The only difference is that our father didn't try to get rid of them. Or, as he said, take me away.

"Why did he want me gone?" I rephrase my question when I saw his eyes flash at my phrasing. "Why did he want to kidnap me?"

Sandaling hindi siya nakasagot. I could see in his eyes that he knew the answer, but something was making it difficult for him to explain it to me. But I also know that he wanted to be transparent. I can feel that he's trying his best to let me know everything.

Nag-iwa siya ng tingin at ibinaling niya ang atensyon niya sa harapan namin. "Because of me."

"W-What? Why?"

He took in a huge breath. "Thomas Salazar is not one to give up power. Pero patapos na ang termino niya at wala siyang magagawa para pigilan iyon. He's grooming me for politics to follow in his footsteps."

"And... and I could ruin that?"

The conversation we had before played in my mind. I once told myself that he would be a good leader. I admire his perspective and his drive to make a change. He could bring so much to this country. A lot more than the empty promises of the other politicians that tried to lead but failed.

"I could ruin that for you," I whispered, my voice carrying the heavy weight of pain. "Maybe he was right—"

"Don't." Umiling siya at inabot niya ang kamay ko para marahang pisilin. "He didn't do one thing right. You could have been hurt by his decisions. That wasn't right. That wasn't what you do to family."

"He was trying to protect you."

"He was trying to protect his investment," he corrected firmly. "I am his son, but I am no more than a pawn in his game. I am no better than Emeric or you. He didn't choose me. He has no choice but to do so because he's married to my mother."

Nagbaba ako ng tingin pero kinulong niya ang mukha ko sa mga kamay niya para pigilan ako. Then he let me go just as quickly so he could ruffle my hair. "This time, I'm going to protect you. Emeric and I will make sure that everything will be okay."

"Your career could end because of this."

"I have a business that's only growing day by day. I never wanted to be in politics. I decided to do it so I could just correct our father's mistake. If the people will give me a chance, I will make sure of that. But if they don't, then so be it. What matters to me is that you're okay."

"Why?" I pushed through the overwhelming emotions wrapped around me, and I forced myself to speak. "Why do you care so much about me?"

"Because someone has to do it. Because we shouldn't have this fucked up life. You, Emeric, and I shouldn't need to go through all of these. We're not just a result of their messed up decisions. We're not just a toy they could discard if they don't think they could use us to their advantage." He patted my head tenderly. "Most of all, we're supposed to live life with them. Not for them."

"I—"

"We don't have much that we can call our family. But us three... we're different. We could change the course of our lives. We don't need to be like them. We could be for each other what they couldn't do for us. That's why I'm doing this. That's why Emeric and I are doing this."

I didn't have a lot. Growing up, I was so used to people leaving. But when Domino was brought to my path, it was like my life, which was suspended in time, suddenly started flowing again. Through it, he has guided me to things that I never thought I could have.

The moment I met him, that's when things started changing. And until now, it's still happening. I found brothers that I didn't think I had. I gained friends who embraced me with nothing but warmth.

And I found myself with a heart that started to believe that it could do something that I vowed to myself wouldn't happen to me...

To love.

"I... all of this is beyond overwhelming," I admitted to him. "I... I need..."

His eyes flashed with amusement. "I think I know what you need." Napapalatak siya. "I just found my sister, but a Dawson already has her tied down."

Namula ako. "T-That's not it!"

"Kunwari naniniwala ako." Kumuha siya ng nuggets sa maliit na kahon na nasa tabi ko. "Basta imbitado kami ni Emeric ha? I can walk you down the aisle if you want. But no pressure." Kinindatan niya ako. "Emeric can be the flower boy."